1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Lactobacillus sp. strain with antimutagenic activity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Probiotics refers to live microorganisms that are administered to humans or animals in order to improve balance between intestinal bacteria, in turn enhancing health of a host (Fuller, R. Probiotics in man and animals, 1989, J. Appl. Microbiol. 66: 365-378). Health enhancing effects of probiotics may include balancing and maintaining microflora, stimulation of an immune system, anticarcinogenic activity, and the like. The probiotics are generally contained in a nutrition agent or administered in a capsule form and should satisfy some requirements including, for example: survival in a digestive tract under general conditions (such as low pH inside the stomach, acid exist in a digestive system, etc.); correct adhesion to a bowel wall; intestinal metabolism; practical applicability (tolerance to operation); expression of favorable health effects reported after clinical trial; intake safety and so forth (Salminen, S, et al. 1995, The coming age of probiotics. Trend Food Sci Technol, 6: 241-245).
In view of taxonomic system, Lactobacillus refers to a spherical or rod type microorganism that is gram-positive, catalase-negative, neither forms spore nor uses cytochrome as an electron donor, and exhibits reduced tolerance to oxygen and low pH. In addition, the Lactobacillus strain which ferments hydrocarbon and generates lactic acid as a final product of metabolism is a representative microorganism to ensure improvement of health in nutritional-physiologic aspects, that is, control of intestinal behavior, inhibition of pathogenic bacteria, promotion of digestion and absorption, prevention of constipation and irregularity diarrhea, etc., thus being effectively employed in various applications including, for example: fermented milk products; naturally fermented foods; a treatment for digestive tract disease of human or animals; livestock feeds; pharmaceutical applications, and so forth.
Meanwhile, as the most serious disease to threaten health of humans in modern society, cancer occurs in general by activation of tumor generating genes when genes are modified. Since a variety of chemical carcinogens and dietary factors influences genes through different routes, cancer incidence and mortality are continuously increased in spite of medical development. Therefore, identification of causes and/or mechanisms of cancer generation should still be accomplished (Ames, B. N., et al., 1973, Proc. Net. Acad. Sci. USA., 70, 2281-2285).
In Korea, stomach cancer incidence and liver cancer incidence are remarkably higher than those in other advanced countries, and we believe this is because of typical Korean dietary habits and/or living habits influencing such diseases. Therefore, foods and nutritional substances have been suggested as the most significant parameter among various causes of cancer.
As to prevention and treatment of cancer, a great deal of research and investigation into various functional foods with immune activity to the human body or anticarcinogenic effects is currently conducted.